Epic’s Tim Sweeney Expresses Support For Microsoft’s Mobile App Store Plans

gameranx.com:

Tim Sweeney did something remarkable today, remarkable even in this environment where video game companies are competing fiercely for our dollar. He praised Microsoft and expressed his support for their plans.

Before I explain why it’s so surprising, first let me share what he did say. On Twitter earlier today, he shared this message:

“Microsoft launching mobile app stores to compete with the iOS App Store and Google Play Store is huge news, and highlights that today’s PC stores from Microsoft, Valve, and Epic are tomorrow’s leading contenders to expand to mobile.”

This was a quote tweet to an article by the Financial Times, where Microsoft again explains their intention to take advantage a new opportunity to launch their own mobile game store on Android and Apple platforms.

For those who don’t know, Apple and Android have faced scrutiny from the same regulators looking at the Microsoft – Activision deal. This is because they currently hold a duopoly over mobile app stores. Both don’t allow other companies to put up their own app stores on their own operating systems. Some OEMs have circumvented these limits on Android devices, such as Samsung, while others have passed over it by forking Android, like Huawei has with HarmonyOS.

However, the EU is currently working on new rules to force the two companies to publish third party app stores to iOS and Android. If that gets approved, other regulators may compel the two to allow the same on other regions, if they don’t just give up and make it universal.

In particular, Microsoft themselves tie their hopes on the upcoming Digital Markets Act to formally make third party app stores possible. If Apple and Alphabet appeal on provisions on the act, they could delay its passing for